Dorothy's Mystical Adventures in Oz Part 3

"I agree with you, Mr. Pinhead," said Dorothy. The world would be a very dull place if everyone looked the same. Imagine what it would be like if everyone looked exactly alike, thought exactly alike, and talked exactly alike! There would be no point to existence."

"My sentiments entirely!" said the Pinhead.

"Getting back to the business at hand," said Dorothy. "I'm still mystified as to how you create a river to order?"

"Well," answered the Pinhead. "It's quite simple, really. We have this huge reservoir that was created by building a dam to capture the tears of a giant that was a bit of a cry-baby, to say the least. The slightest little hurt would set him off on a crying spell. We turned his excessive crying into a cottage industry by utilizing the stored up tears for our new company, /Rivers on Demand, Inc.,/ and since the tears have magical qualities we can direct the river to and fro', uphill or downhill, exactly as we wish to suit the customer's order. The river even knows to avoid dwelling places and other inhabited areas, and to return immediately to the reservoir when its pa.s.sengers have disembarked."

"Remarkable!" replied Dorothy. "Just remarkable."

With that, they all went down to the newly created river to board the raft that had just been completed for them. After stepping aboard they barely had time to wave goodbye to their new friends as the river quickly whisked them on their way.

Chapter Five:

A Visit from the Wicked Witch of the Deep South

"My, the river's flowing fast. I'm glad it's not that deep," said the Tin Woodman, after they were underway. "If it were, and I fell overboard, I could rust up solid for all eternity. Do you think the raft will stay big? Oh dear, what if it gets little again? We'll all be spilled into the water!"

"Don't worry so much," said Dorothy, smiling. "You'll worry yourself to death."

"Can people really do that?" asked the Tin Woodman. "Worry themselves to death?"

"Of course not," laughed the girl. "But I suppose a person could become quite sick if he constantly worried over things."

"Never worry worry, 'til worry worries you," said the Scarecrow in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What is that supposed to mean?" inquired the Tin Woodman.

"I think it means," answered the Scarecrow, "don't worry about something until it actually happens."

"Oh! I see," said the Tin Woodman. "In other words, most of our worries never materialize, so why fret constantly over something that in all probability will never occur?"

"I think you've got it," said Dorothy.

"I think you've got it," echoed the Scarecrow.

Everyone laughed uproariously. Then the Tin Woodman broke into song....

"Oh ... never worry worry 'til worry worries you, 'cause if you worry worry your worry'll worry you."

Dorothy and the Scarecrow joined in:

"Oh ... never worry worry 'til worry worries you, 'cause if you worry worry your worry'll worry you."

Suddenly a dark shadow covered their raft, and a piercing scream filled the air. They all looked up to see the Wicked Witch of the Deep South on a huge broomstick sweeping down on them. She had the ugliest, meanest face Dorothy had ever seen. As her eyes met Dorothy's, she pointed a long bony green finger at her and screamed, "I'll get you, Deary! You killed my sisters. You'll never leave Oz alive!" Then she screeched with terrible laughter as she roared away.

Everyone except Dorothy was shaking with fright. Dorothy was shaking too, inside, but she didn't show it.

"N-n-n-never w-w-worry w-worry 't-t-till worry w-worries y-you,"

stuttered the Tin Woodman.

"Now pull yourself together," ordered Dorothy. "She's gone.... I think I see the Dainty Land of China. We should be there in a few minutes."

Chapter 6:

The Dainty Land of China *

The Tin Woodman did very well steering the raft to the bank of the river. As the Dainty China Country came into view he became quite excited, but then a little confused. "I wonder what happened to the wall," he said, half to himself. "But looks like there's a welcoming party awaiting us."

Dorothy and the Scarecrow stood up at once, almost toppling the Tin Woodman into the water. Sure enough, quite a large entourage was waiting by the dockside. Several china soldiers ran down to the raft as the Tin Woodman steered it into the dock.

As everyone disembarked from the raft they heard a big whoosh as the river reversed course to return to its source. They were immediately informed by the soldiers that the King and Queen wished to speak to them. The soldiers took Dorothy and her friends by the arms and escorted them to where the King and Queen were standing.

"You are most unwelcome!" snapped the King.

"Most Unwelcome!" echoed the Queen. "The last time strangers were here they broke several of our people."

"And we had to pay the menders overtime," said the King.

"Not to mention the expense of the glue," said the Queen.

"And glue's not cheap, you know," said the King.

"Not cheap, you know," said the Queen.

"We're terribly sorry," said Dorothy. "We'll be extremely careful, won't we everyone?" she said as she looked around at her friends.

"Oh, yes," they all chorused. "Extremely careful."

"I hope so," said the King.

"I hope so," said the Queen.

"It would take us several days to get to the Lion's forest if we had to go around your country," said the Tin Woodman.

"Very well," said the King. "The sooner you get started the better. It makes me very nervous to have you here. We had a high protective wall around us until a wicked witch zapped it off to some other realm out of spite. Now we are getting all kinds of riffraff wandering through our lands stepping on people w.i.l.l.y-nilly. My army will escort you to the border to make sure you do not break anything, or anyone. If you do, my soldiers will attack you, for that is what they are trained to do."

"You can rest a.s.sured," said Dorothy, "that we will take every precaution."

As Dorothy spoke, she stepped back slightly to curtsy, but the heel of her shoe caught the Captain of the Guard's horse, causing it to rear up.

The Captain dropped his sword with a clatter on the ground, breaking it into several pieces.